Hallandale Beach paid $235,000 to buy this property in 2009 from a nonprofit whose officers included Vice Mayor Anthony Sanders and his wife Photo: William Gjebre

A former Hallandale Beach commissioner said he voluntarily met with Broward Inspector General investigators Monday who questioned him about the city’s embattled Community Redevelopment Agency, its purchase of property once owned by a group headed by Vice Mayor Anthony Sanders and a city loan to a local newspaper.

The former commissioner, William “Bill” Julian, is currently running for city commission. He declined to discuss details of his four-hour interview with three investigators because “they asked me not to talk about anything.”

For more than a year, however, Broward Bulldog has reported about questionable city loans to local businesses and land purchases through the CRA – whose board of directors are also the city’s commissioners.

The IG’s office investigates suspected misconduct that includes fraud, corruption and mismanagement. IG investigators appear to have begun focusing on Hallandale Beach and its CRA this spring with a trip to City Hall in April. In response to their requests, the city recently turned over thousands of pages of records.

Records indicate that investigators are examining the CRA and a city grant program that funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and donations to eight local non-profits, including several linked to Vice Mayor Sanders or his wife, Jessica.

In 2009, after Sanders’ appointment to the commission the year before, the city spent $235,000 in CRA tax dollars to purchase a building and land at 501 NW First Avenue owned by Higher Vision Ministries, a not for profit corporation whose officers included Sanders and his wife.

Sanders, who did not vote on the city’s purchase, was a director of Higher Vision Ministries when it bought the property in 2001 for $45,000. The nonprofit received a $46,000 property improvement loan from the city not long after the purchase.

The terms of the loan immediately forgave $7,500 in principal. An error by the city at the time the property was sold in 2009 doubled that forgiveness to $15,000 – meaning Higher Vision Ministries only had to pay back $31,000.

LOCAL NEWSPAPER DEAL

Julian, who served as a commissioner and vice mayor from 2001 to 2010 when he was defeated for reelection, said the investigators also asked about a CRA loan to the for-profit South Florida Sun Times.

Half of the loan — $25,000 – was forgiven even though for two years prior to the loan the newspaper’s two top executives each reported incomes averaging more than $200,000.

Julian told Broward Bulldog there has been turmoil at the CRA, with several directors being removed in past years. He added that CRA funds were used for a variety of charitable contributions to community groups.

“I didn’t question use of CRA funds for charitable contributions,” Julian said of his time on the city commission. Commissioners, he added, wanted to “take a load off the general fund…I don’t know if that was legal. That will have to come to light.”

“I don’t know of wrongdoings by commissioners or myself,” Julian said. “I don’t know if I did something wrong.” Julian added that if something was done incorrectly “let’s fix it.”

VOLUNTEERED TO TALK

Julian said he contacted the IG office Friday and volunteered to be interviewed because “there’s a cloud of suspicion over me.”

He said he was compelled to come forward because of public comments on recent stories about the IG investigation and what his involvement might have been while in office.

“I want to be as open as possible,” Julian said. “I have never been accused of anything in my life.”

Inspector General John Scott did not respond to a request for comment.

Julian is one of six candidates vying for two at large commission seats up for grabs on November 6. The other candidates are Vice Mayor Sanders, Gerald Dean, Ann Pearl Henigson, Csaba G. Kulin and Michele Lazarow.

Dorothy Ross, a commission member for 17 years, is not seeking reelection.

CITY BALKS AT COOPERATION

County investigators have asked to speak with each of the commission’s current members. The City Manager’s Office has informed them that it won’t schedule any interviews until the IG’s office informs the city about its intentions.

In addition, CRA attorney Steven Zelkowitz recently told the IG’s office by letter that the CRA is “a separate legal entity” and not subject to the authority of the IG under county and state laws.

Historically, however, the city administration and commissioners have treated the CRA as a part of the city government.

*The CRA has been operating since 1996, but it wasn’t until March that its board of directors – the city commissioners – voted to establish it as a separate “agency” reporting directly to the board in accordance with state law. Until then, the CRA functioned mostly as a subdivision of the city’s Department of Development Services.

* All 59 properties purchased with CRA funds are in the name of the City of Hallandale Beach – not the CRA. The CRA is now seeking to re-title 43 properties to itself, but 16 will remain in the name of the city.

*Hundreds of thousands of dollars in past city grants and charitable contributions to local non-profit community groups did not clearly spell out how much CRA money was used in those taxpayer-provided gifts.

*CRA business loan policies changed frequently under former city managers, allowing for some loans to exceed established limits, some funds to be distributed without repayment agreements, and questionable forgiveness arrangements.

A critical study of city and CRA record keeping this year by an outside auditing firm recommended that a financial manager be hired. The recommendation was also in agency bylaws adopted by city commissioners sitting as the CRA’s board of directors. In June, however, those same board members voted down a CRA staff request to hire a financial manager.

That study was ordered after it had become clear that management problems existed. The commission, however, authorized a limited review rather than a more intensive financial audit. Aside from poor record keeping the recent report by the auditing firm said some $20 million in vendor contracts were never reviewed because city staff failed to provide them.

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Chad Lincoln/July 5, 2012

Friday., June 29th. 2012, at 1:54 P.M. I had a surprising yet welcome call from an unfamiliar number (954) 540-5200*. When I answered a tentative lady introduced herself as Jessica Sanders, wife of Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Sanders.

After the quick introduction, Mrs Sanders launched in to a civil discussion where in she expressed objection to my recent public postings on the Broward Bulldog about the City Commissions expressed unwillingness to cooperate with the Broward County Inspector General’s (IG) investigation. She continued to insist the basis of the IG’s investigation is based upon half truths and lies. Mrs. Sanders wanted to know why I would make statements as I did to demand City officials stop avoiding the IG’s investigation? And yes, I did color those posts with questions being asked about their conduct. For which I do not apologize.

In this 23 minute discussion, Mrs. Sanders repeatedly requested I sit down with her and Vice Mayor Sanders to hear the truth (as they believe it). I was gratified with the offer, but had stipulations where: the meeting would be an open meeting to include myself, other Hallandale residents, and interested community activists and leaders; and the content of the meeting must be factual and honest. She verbally accepted the idea and we agreed a meeting was long past due for them to air out the financial dealings she and her husband have had with the City Commission and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) which involved material sums of tax payer money and benefits.

In the service of this offer and to accelerate the possibility of such a open forum, of facts and figures supported by documentation and minutes and notes of meetings, I am attempting to reserve a room at the Hallandale Cultural Center (behind city hall) large enough to hold a large number of attendees. I will publish date as soon as the meeting date is set and approved by Mr. & Mrs. Sanders.

This notice will be sent via the same online news pages/blogd, plus HB residents with email addresses, additionally by Hallandale Beach “code red” telephone robo calls where residents are not on the DNC list, and notice to the media in the hopes they will publish the event as well as attend and report. Of course representatives of the Broward County IG’s office will be notified of the public meeting.

I agree with Mrs. Sanders, this dark cloud hanging over the City Commissioners’ conduct deserves to be aired and answered to the peoples benefit, and to protect the names of the Commissioners and ex member Julian in the community. Such a meeting potentially benefits all.

I thank Mrs. Sanders and Vice Mayor Sanders for coming forward and proposing this opportunity for the community.

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Andrew Markoff/July 5, 2012

Because, FrustratedInHallandale, look at the other candidates for the upcoming election. As Joe Biden put it well, “Don’t compare us to the Almighty. Compare us to the alternative.”

We need residents who truly pay attention and can operate professionally rather than only reactively, but a low-paying job with a lot of negativity surrounding such public service and long meeting hours late into the night simply doesn’t attract the best of the bunch as far as candidates. Bill Julian served for years and made some big mistakes, but if you were to look very closely at the other candidates, Julian is our better option.

I do believe that Bill Julian is an honest man who was too easily led by stronger personalities and operators, but that is not atypical at all in citizen government. Bill Julian is a citizen, not a professional financial manager nor a professional city manager. His oversight is influenced by the professional recommendations of city staff. There have been major staff changes very recently, and those of us who can more accurately assess the situation in Hallandale Beach expect improvements in the city overall, not arrests and incarcerations. Those are the hopes of bloggers, not of those who actually understand government.

However monies were directed towards organizations that needed improved operations or properties that were priced high before the bust, that doesn’t translate into illegalities and/or bad intentions. What’s always most important is what the city is doing about all of this NOW.

There is a learning curve, and Julian has years of experience that he really has learned from. The amount of work he puts into serving the Hallandale Beach community and in trying to help those in need is really stunning, and he was awarded for that recently. If there are better methods and more strenuous oversight needed in the city commission, I don’t believe that Julian is against that. But what this so-called “reporter,” William Gjebre never includes in his “articles” are the reforms that had already been implemented since the replacement of former CRA and development directors and the city manager.

For example, the meeting in question regarding a professional financial manager for the CRA was only a couple of weeks ago. Why doesn’t he report on the CRA board’s ‘s reasoning for not immediately approving the hiring of a financial manager? He could report on answers provided or not provided by the directors in that regard. But he doesn’t. Is that issue coming back to the board, or is it settled? Isn’t that what a “reporter” should ask? Are there wider issues in regards to a proposed CRA budget that need to be addressed before approving the executive director to hire more personnel?

By manipulating readers into believing that there is deliberate wrongdoing and the hiding of information, he expects to gain more readership. Bad news and corruption sells. Reforms and improved policies and oversight over the years apparently do not. If total mistrust and negativity is continually fostered towards citizen government, then the public may never expect improvements and more modern policies to ever be implemented. Our system of government, however, works when people are informed about not only the facts but also the processes at hand. Jumping to conclusions and leaping to assumptions are not a way to ensure that representative government operates in our best interests.

I hope that Hallandale Beach’s current manager, it’s CRA director, its public relations person and it’s elected representatives will fill the void of unanswered questions so that bloggers manipulating readers towards the most negative assumptions will not instead dominate the communications stream.

Please go beyond Commissioner Keith London and beyond the local blogs and commenters and the acolytes of negativity and instead politely approach those expected to be in the know and just ASK!

What I do personally is wait. I rarely ask my representatives directly. I know that they have a lot of other individuals and organizations to answer to, and I allow them the opportunity to do their jobs. I allow our system of representative government to take its course, I vote for the candidates who are most reasonable and professional even if they’re not climbing down off a ladder sent down from a holy heaven, and I expect the truth to eventually come out. Nothing would surprise me- absolutely nothing, but jumping to conclusions based on “reporting” like this is not how I recommend that anyone operates.

If there was wrongdoing and unethical dealings and misappropriations and the like, none of us actually know that now. We cannot operate as citizens as if we’re sure that there were illegalities and ethical violations. You may be tempted to operate under that assumption, but when it comes to participation and observation of our government, that is dysfunctional. We really should function the best way that we can knowing that processes are implemented and the IG’s report will one day be submitted and come out. Until then, “reporters” like William Gjebre should adhere to a wider array of journalistic standards other than just their own, because Mr. Gjebre’s are certainly not good enough.

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Andrew Markoff/July 5, 2012

Chad Lincoln’s post had not appeared when I started my reply to FrustratedInHallandale. I have long called for just the kind of open forum that Mr. Lincoln is attempting to put forward.

I’m glad that Jessica Sanders decided to reach out, but I think it’s understandable that over the years elected officials and their friends and family might be very tentative about doing so when they’ve publicly been under attack. Also, there are a lot of people involved in public service locally who do not utilize the internet to the extent that some of the rest of us do who express our opinions about local government and our community.

So, it might be a good idea in the future to not only wait for public figures to reach out, but instead to reach out to them and ASK rather than to assume. But, of course, we have to be polite about it. I can’t tell you how many public meetings I have attended as an appointed member of a committee or as just a resident where people have for no good reason started yelling at somebody.

I look forward to a positive forum for information and reasonable questioning in the near future.

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CurlyCue/July 5, 2012

I find it very interesting Bill Julian volunteered to speak. Hmmmm let’s see, I’m sure it must have something to do with him running for a City Commission seat in November. And, I also would venture to bet one year’s salary on the fact he received massive coaching by Joy Cooper on this prior to his meeting (by the way probably the first time he and she did not break Sunshine Laws since he is no longer a City Commissioner). I’m sure he did everything in his power to try and protect her not realizing that when he speaks…..ah….let’s just say he’s not that smart! Bill…you may have just gotten yourself into some big trouble!!!

I can’t imagine how he defended voting YES to every dollar handed out by Joy Cooper and Mike Good to Vice-Mayor Sanders, the Sun-Times and any other potential self serving entity. Maybe she promised him this time he would be elected.

Remember Bill, just because you’re not a Commissioner any more doesn’t mean you’re not guilty. If I were you, I would’ve gone out on a high note, shut your mouth and get a real job! Your days in politics and as a Commissioner were way over due last election.

Truth be told, there is only one Commissioner, Keith London, who stands for the people and a legal government which is open and transparent. The City of Hallandale under the rule of Joy Cooper and former City Manager Mike Good is a representation of poor government. And now, she along with all who “took” may end up paying the price. I hope so…enough is enough!

It strikes me as very humorous when all these people work so hard against Commissioner London and everything he’s brought forward has actually come into play even though he was defeated initially by numerous 4-1 votes. Wake up guys…..you’ve tried so hard to beat him down, and now we all see who’s right. After watching him over the past several years, I’m truly impressed. He’s brought to light what everyone else is hiding and he is truly an upstanding and honest individual. I’m sick of all corruption in politics over the last decade and Commissioner London is a breath of fresh air. Kudos to you Commissioner London, you’ve got my vote and I hope you or maybe the State Attorney’s office get rid of the others!!!!

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Gus Grissom/July 5, 2012

It seems the loudest individuals are the ones with the most to loose… Or have gained from this in the past.

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Leon/July 5, 2012

I do not know what happened with that loan. I am sure Inspections will clear a case. But I do now that Bill Julian is an honest man, did very positive thinks for Hallandale and he is a best candidate for City Commission. And I do know that London did not do any positive for Hallandale, except watching others. Hallandale does not need commissioner – auditor, Hallandale needs commissioner – creator, organizer, and builder. I hope Hallandale one day will be clear from those negative bulldogs and will go forward to better future

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CurlyCue/July 5, 2012

Leon— you really need to go back to school!

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donna/July 5, 2012

Another black eye for Hallandale Beach. Got a call from family in NY about the lifeguard incident. It has made national news. Have never been political, but this city is going downhill with Joy Cooper as mayor. She thinks this city is her personal kingdom and she can do whatever she wants. So glad Ross is finally giving up her seat as a puppet. We need people who really want to make Hallandale a city of choice, not just about what Joy wants. This proposal for building a high rise by where Manero’s used to be will be a nightmare for us. The traffic on Hallandale Beach Blvd is already a nightmare even during off season. So sorry I bought here.

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Chad Lincoln/July 5, 2012

I’ve had to take a deep breath on this new report discussing Bill Julian’s coming forward. I’ve commented here in a different post that I saw this coming. One of the commissioner group was going to break free of the stonewall and get in first to plead their case. Of the two most likely, Ex Commissioner Julian, was the odds on favorite as he has the most to loose staying behind the stone wall. According to the Independent Review of Accepted Procedures, it was disclosed that Julian was the official signatory authorizing the Sanders deal to go forward, his approval was final authority.

While I’m not accusing anyone of wrong doing and believe everyone deserves to be heard under the evidence available, if there was any wrong doing, Bill Julian would be the first to get the blame from the incumbents who authorized and set up the deal. Bill is now an outsider on the Commission could become the “patsy” if wrong doing existed. He himself has said he didn’t know if he did anything wrong (alarming no matter how sincere). I’m making book that some on the Commission knew quite certainly if wrong doing was involved.

Bill may have played this situation smart, if he made a clean breast of the facts and his knowledge irrespective of any fealty towards Mayor Cooper or others. But, conjecturing now, if he parroted a line fed to him to protect others, he has set himself to be the fall guy! If the facts disclose wrong doing, his pals will surely be enticed to make him the wrong doer if they can.

Let’s hope our city Commissioners and Mayor are of clean hands and Bill has nothing to fear.

One thing for sure, is Bill’s coming forward has made this an every man or woman for themselves situation. Why? Because, the others have no idea what Bill really told the IG investigators. And now these parties are in a squeeze play, where Bill’s unknown disclosures made behind closed doors are an anvil against which their story truthful or otherwise will hammered to the light of day.

In a poker game I think I’d like to play out the IG’s hand vs. Mayor Cooper’s and the other Commissioners, how about you?

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Leon/July 5, 2012

Dear Curly. Sorry English is not my first language. But you should go to school and learn what is wrong and what is right in my Hallandale. I believe we will be able to clean our City from a few noisy speculators. You and other few like you better shut up and look around: how bad is Hallandale. No business, no new construction, no new parks, no new buses. Why? Because everyone scared of you and your friends
To Donna: Yes, We are a real people of Hallandale. We need a traffic here, jobs
To Chad: Who gave you rights to to Blame Julian? London? Csaba Kulin? How many of you? 10? 20? You are not people of Hallandale! You are against of Hallandale

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donna/July 5, 2012

Leon, we do not need the traffic or more construction. 3/4 of the buildings on the beach are sitting empty and only brings down our home values. The beach is the ugliest beach in Florida and the parks are disgusting. Look at Hollywood Beach with their boardwalk and restaurants and Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. Our beach was sold to real estate developers so we no longer have a beach to speak of
,But we needed to spend 100K for some Palm trees. What a joke.

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John in Hallandale/July 5, 2012

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Andrew Markoff/July 5, 2012

Chad, you are reading way too much into this. What exactly did Mayor Cooper and the rest of the commission have to gain out of the purchase of the Eagle’s Wings property?

Vice Mayor Sanders profited handsomely, but selling his property was not charity even if non-profit services had been provided on that site. Despite London’s continual assertions otherwise, the property had not been purchased at the highest appraisal value. The market had changed a lot everywhere, and Sanders sold at the right time- for him. There’s nothing wrong with that even if it caused consternation amongst those who prefer to have scandal in their lives rather than a more positive sense of community.

The former manager, who had also acted as CRA director had some kind of plans for that and the other properties for that site. Perhaps those plans were not viable ones- I don’t know, but illegalities in that regard aren’t even named by anyone.

There appears to be an assumption that Dottie Ross, Bill Julian, Anthony Sanders and Joy Cooper were all getting rich somehow by allegedly violating Sunshine and buying real estate for the city with CRA funds. There’s constantly allegations that the Mayor and the manager were buying influence of some sort or buying votes from Sanders. Those making such allegations should put more precise information forward, because I am not seeing what kind of influence or votes or whatever that anybody was seeking with the purchase of that property.

CRA funds are spent with the intent of community redevelopment. If they are spent for other intentions, then there’s something worthy of investigation. As yet, however, there are no facts nor are there allegations that there was anything bought with federal grant money and other taxpayer funds that was outside of what the commission, the CRA board and the manager had assumed was in the public interest.

From what I can tell, the IG is investigating because somebody filed a complaint suggesting that monies were spent unethically and perhaps illegally. If that is what spurred an investigation, that does not translate into the IG deciding that illegalities and unethical actions had occurred. That would only translate into acting upon a complaint.

If that complain had been made solely for political purposes… say a political candidate seeking electoral advantage against a rival… then that is precisely where the illegal and unethical behavior would lay. We voted on the last ballot about protecting elected and other public officials from such maneuvering by unscrupulous individuals filing scurrilous complaints. There are a few nasty commenters on-line who continually hope, it seems, for scandal, but I suspect that the ultimate scandal at the end of all of this will be one individual being prosecuted for intentionally misleading the Broward IG for the purposes of a witch hunt.

I may be wrong. Nothing- NOTHING would surprise me. But my suspicion is actually a lot more credible, I’ll assert, than those of the London acolytes who comment on these kinds of blog postings.

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leon/July 5, 2012

Support you Mr. Markoff
Donna! Yes! I need much more traffic in Hallandale. No buildings on a beach are without an owners. And the values of our homes is down because Hallandale looks old and ugly. Look on Aventura, Sunny Isles. Ask prices there. We all depend from tourists All economy of Hallandale need more attractions, more restaurants, more businesses. I am not ready to discuss details and I am not support mayor or any commissioners. I support changes in Hallandale to the business direction. I cannot even imagine that the guy who running around the City on a clown’s bicycle and always vote against any businesses will be our Mayor.

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John in Hallandale/July 5, 2012

Nice to see that Cooper has her henchmen out. Yes that would be you Leon and Markoff. Please tell my how you both have profited from the Cooper Administration.

I know Bill Julian’ didn’t. He feels duped by EVERYONE and then again he “didn’t know” Which I already stated that this is his favorite phrase. I have spoken will Bill on several occasions while he was in and out of office and he always states he “Didn’t know”. He also blames Cooper for his lost election bid. He also was a supporter of London after his lost election bid than then pulled a 180. Bill’s a nice guy but shouldn’t be in public office. I did tell him this but he didn’t listen. He likes the spotlight.

I will add that Anthony Sander profited handsomely from the Cooper lead by out of his property. Why for a yes vote on whatever Cooper wanted to pass. Being a citizen of Hallandale for the last eleven years I have seen first hand how the Cooper Administration has done NOTHING to help the citizens. It’s all Coopers whacked out version of how the city should be run.

I sure Leon and Markoff have profited also it’s just a mater of time before it comes out.

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Bill Julian/July 5, 2012

To our residents. The results of an independent survey conducted last month showed that 79% of the people questioned would like to have me serve on the Hallandale Beach Commission again, and would vote for me in November.
About the comments made concerning this article. Thank you for your support, and to the others, let me explain a few things that even Chad Lincoln may understand.
I was not called in to talk to the IG. I came in because I was not happy that the city and not one person on the city commission had called in for an interview.
By not cooperating with the IG, it clearly shows our residents that someone has something to hide.
I was interviewed and answered all of their questions, honestly and to the best of my ability, and said I would return if asked to do so.
To say I talked to any commissioners before my interview, is totally wrong, no one knew I was comming.
To say I am a Patsy to what will be exposed. What do you do Mr. lincoln, write mystery novels?
I was told not to talk about the details of the interview, but it involved a few major topics.
After the commissioners that are called in, if they will, give their testomony the facts of the case will be reported.
My take on this, if you have done nothing wrong, you have nothing to hide.
I knew by going in that some of you would still have something to say in a negative way, so be it.
As for Commissioner London, and his buddy blogger David Smith continuing their attempt to defame my service to the community, if you think that sending out e-mails will do me in, good luck.
And YES Mr. London, I do believe that part of the mission of the CRA is to help local business and the residents of need concerning charitable donations, which you always say NO to.
You see, the residents of Hallandale are good people and much more knowledgable than you give them credit for.
I will expect this campaign to be one of the negative and nasty elections our city has ever seen, looks like I’m right.
One thing I have always done is to have respect for the other candidates, this I will continue to do.
Maybe that’s why some refuse to sign the Ethics Form.

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FrustratedInHallandale/July 5, 2012

Hi Bill,

How come you never answered the questions from 6-28-2012, what happened tongue tied?

Well try this one on for size, but first let’s provide some background.

We all know you are unemployed and have been for years.
We know you live in a rented home with your mom and have for years.
We all know you drive two old cars for years.

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leon/July 6, 2012

Do not worry John
I have no access to City. I am not even a friend to any of them. Furthermore I am against of them I am just tired to lose money in Hallandale because you “people of Hallandale” block all construction and business activity. John, who pays you? London? Who is financing London? Bulldog?
I know what kind of blog this is. I am just waiting when this bulldog will block me. Then 5000 real people will know about this.
This is really funny, Friend John. If somebody is telling you truth that means he has a profit. This is probably your way, John. This is a very nasty way to go around and to spread rumors that all city are thieves
I see you people know each others. Interesting. The same gang: John, Csaba, Curly, London, How long are you going to terrorize Hallandale?

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leon/July 6, 2012

Funny John!
I wish Cooper will give me $1000 under table for this blog. I will take it, but in real life I just pay a lot of fees, fines and taxes to this idiotic City.
John
Are you a City inspector?
I think that you just another 75+ who play politic instead of Bingo

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John in Hallandale/July 6, 2012

To Bill Julian,

I have met you on a few occasions and your response for you miss givings while you served as Vice Mayor was always “I didn’t know”. Bill your responsibility was to know and you failed us citizens of Hallandale Beach. I would recommend that you drop out of the race and put your support behind Csaba Kulin. Csaba at least has a clue and would never use “I didn’t know” as an excuse for anything. He would do his due diligence to make sure he knows.

Bill, mot to diminish your works for our city but as I have told you in the past, you are best suited to carry out your charitable projects. Politics is not your forte.

I will add Bill, that you are a bit of a media whore. Why the hell were you making comments about the lifeguard that got fired? ONLY to say YOU “Didn’t Know” that this would happen when the contract was signed.

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Andrew Markoff/July 6, 2012

It would be highly irresponsible for any commissioners or CRA board members to speak with the Broward IG in regards to any investigation without advice, counsel and the OK from representing attorneys, whether the city attorney or the CRA attorney. To assert that if you have nothing to hide… well that is naive. Anything you say could be twisted and used against you. Those currently working for the city are correct not to cooperate without the consent of counsel. The jurisdiction of the Broward IG is a very significant issue, especially in regards to the CRA. For any commissioners to assert, as has London, that they have no need to comply with the directives and advice of legal counsel is just plain irresponsible and reckless. Should the IG make clear what exactly is being investigated and why and the commissioners are able to consult with attorneys working on behalf of the city, then interviews could go forward. Otherwise, they wouldn’t only be putting themselves at risk. They’d be putting the city at risk in regards of its reputation and legal expenses. It’s just basic law 101 that the commissioners and the CRA directors should act only on the advice and consent of counsel.

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Bill Julian/July 6, 2012

To Frustrated in Hallandale,
Are you off your Meds?
Now that you have run out of insults, your questions have not yet been answered?
What part of ‘I was told not to say anything’ about the investigation you don’t understand?
Yes, I do take care of my MOM, I drive an old truck that I have had since new 19 years old. My car is 12 years old, and both run perfectly. Should I buy new ones?
We do rent, and love our neighbors for many years.
The other question you imply that ‘where did I get $20,000?’
Are you some kind of a nut?
Do you think that is a lot of money?
Oh, maybe you think some developer, gave me some.
If you want to read something very interesting, check Commissioner Londons report showing dozens of $500 checks coming in from NY, NJ, Tallahassee, developers, Attorneys, Lobbiests. Why would they send him campaign donations??
Get a life.

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FrustratedInHallandale/July 6, 2012

Hi Bill,

You said “Do you think that is a lot of money?” well yes Bill $20,000 is a lot of money.

Again please answer the question, where did you get the money?

You never before in four elections put one red penny of “your” own money into a campaign account. (campaign report link is above)

Simple question where did you find 20 large?

Who gave you the money?

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Andrew Markoff/July 6, 2012

Frustrated in Hallandale, $20,000 in campaign donations would not be unusual, especially since Keith London has almost $50,000 in campaign funds, the vast majority of which came in $500 increments from a religious group in New Jersey as well as in Brooklyn and in Pennsylvania. One $500 check after another, most reported on the same day. And yet you’re suspicious of Bill Julian generating campaign donations.

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MLazarow/July 6, 2012

Mr. Markoff, your comment “Look at the other candidates for the upcoming election. As Joe Biden put it well, “Don’t compare us to the Almighty. Compare us to the alternative”, really speaks to your vote of confidence for Mr. Julian. What you are saying, in effect, is he is the best of the worst. This is not a strong reason to support his candidacy.

“I do believe that Bill Julian is an honest man who was too easily led by stronger personalities and operators” also speaks to his inability to stand for what is right, doing what is best for the Hallandale Beach residents, in spite of adversity. Again, not a solid vote of confidence.

“What’s always most important is what the city is doing about all of this NOW.” If that is what is most important than the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. By definition, it would seem “insane” to re-elect Sanders and Julian under the cloud of so much suspicion when there are other candidates with none. Hopefully, what the voters will be doing in November is voting for a new Commission, those with new ideas and no historical dealings with the city fiscally or otherwise.

“Please go beyond Commissioner Keith London and beyond the local blogs and commenter’s and the acolytes of negativity and instead politely approach those expected to be in the know and just ASK!” On more than one occasion you have stated that many of Commissioner London’s supporters are being somehow “brainwashed” by his emails and “acolytes of negativity”. This is an insult to those who have decided to listen to someone other than the tiring defenses of those who say they “didn’t know” or “I’ll fix it”. How long do you expect the residents to have their reasonable requests be denied or delayed? Are London’s supporters all Stepford Wives drinking the Kool-Aid? Are they cult followers rather than people who have finally seen the light? He has, somehow, never had to defend a vote he made or been quoted in the paper saying, “I don’t know if that was legal. That will have to come to light.”

Julian stated “I don’t know if I did something wrong.” and that if something was done incorrectly “let’s fix it.” This is not a statement any voter wants to hear a candidate say. Do the residents want someone in office who didn’t know if votes they had made were “legal” or kept saying that they would “fix” past decisions? Who is “let’s” fix it? The voters are not the one who broke it in the first place. They trusted the Commission to get it right the first time. Yes, mistakes are made, but how many is a reasonable number? Let us remember that Mr Julian had a decade to get it right.

Bottom line: if it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, it usually is a duck. How can there by so much suspicion with so few answers, in addition to an actual investigation by Inspector General’s office; and all of this caused by the ranting and accusations of only ONE MAN? Wouldn’t there need to be some factual basis for them to come to our town and ask to see our records?

The fact that the Sun Times will never print one contrary opinion to the Mayor’s weekly article is outrageous. That is what Noam Chomsky refers to as “manufacturing consent”. They merely filter what the Mayor wants the public to know. Suing residents for any reason, especially over such a MINOR infraction, is seriously frightening. Whatever the Mayor’s defense, the punishment did not fit the crime. She made an example out of one of our residents and it is frightening to think that could happen to ANYONE of us at ANYTIME for simply challenging her. This has got to stop.

“I will expect this campaign to be one of the negative and nasty elections our city has ever seen, looks like I’m right.” Political campaigns are about assessing a candidates’ competency, honesty and integrity. This is exactly what voters are doing when they question past decisions that were made. It is unfortunate that you will see it that way.

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FrustratedInHallandale/July 6, 2012

Hi Andy,

Did Mayor Cooper promise you money (like Sanders and Julian) to help pay off your civil judgment?

If you need a reminder about that silly little $15,000 just follow the link:

Just remember Bill Julian said “Do you think that is a lot of money?” ($20,000)

Birds of a feather hang together

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John in Hallandale/July 6, 2012

FrustratedInHallandale good luck with getting an answer. As have have already stated Bill Julian’s favorite phrase is “I didn’t know” especially when it was his job to know. I will answer your question for you. Bill did receive money from Cooper for his last election bid. Not sure the amount but she funded him. WHY? Because she wanted another yes vote. I’m sure if you Google well you can find the where she had campaign parties at her home for Bill and Alex Lewy. Gotta keep the yes votes intact.

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Well there certainly hasn’t been a lack of attention paid to what is being written and said here about the current Broward IG investigation of Hallandale Beach.
It’s a shame that so much of what is being written here shows a lack of knowledge of the facts. Where to start?
Andrew Markoff, what is it that you don’t quite understand about “No plan”?
Former City Manager Mike Good had no written or approved plan for the purchases of land and homes in Northwest HB. None.
If there was a plan, regardless of who devised it, that actually existed, we’d all know about it because there would have been meetings or workshops when it came up.
If there was a plan, Mayor Cooper and Bill Julian would’ve been taking credit for it for years, and many people in this town whom you are constantly denigrating but whom are performing a real service, as well as myself, would have filed public records requests at City Hall to either see it, or get copies of it to see what it actually says and try to make sense of it. And maybe even some TV or newspaper reporters would do so as well.
But nobody has done any of those things over the years for the simple reason that there is NO PLAN.
It’s the worst sort of helter skelter, with no logical ultimate purpose that anyone at City Hall or anywhere else can explain with a straight face.
That’s the whole problem!
There was no written policy, there was no oversight and accountability, just reckless spending by the City Commission because they decided they wanted to buy something.
This is why your strange constant defense of the urgent purchase of Comm. Sanders property makes no sense to anyone who was paying attention to things in 2008.
Since there was no plan to use that land for some larger purpose that the commission was in favor of, such as assembling smaller parcels together to either build something themselves for the community, or even to assemble the parcels for the purpose of selling it in total to some company or developer to make it possible for them to construct something that was needed or wanted, with the city banking that money, there was no logical reason to rush the purchase, much less, make the purchase.
No reason at all.
All these years later, the city taxpayers gets a dollar or so a year in rent for that property from a non-profit that has also received lots of money from the city.
So where’s the rationale, why was it purchased when it had no purpose, and why doesn’t the city sell it to someone who will build something there that will create jobs and pay taxes?
Also, why is it that in all the places you leave your comments, you have refused to acknowledge your own connection to one of the groups that is under investigation by the IG, the Palm Community Action Coalition? What exactly is it that do you do for them, and what is their actual purpose, since the documents on the city website are very vague.
I would love to see a public list of members of the Board for this group, that includes its boss, Jessica Sanders, so if I see one of them around town I could ask what they actually do for the money, and why it’s such a big secret?
Also, why is it that this group, of all the so-called non-profit groups in town, the newest one, the one with the commissioner’s wife in charge, is the only one in the city that gets office space and use of city personnel and resources at the Hepburn Center? Why?
Now onto Bill Julian, who was so quick to attack me for making the following reasonable comments in a previous Bulldog article, happy to intentionally mischaracterize what was actually said between us at City Hall following a meeting, in order to make himself look good here.
The Broward County Inspector General should move as soon as possible to either indict or clear those people that proposed or voted for these giveaways. Mayor Cooper, Commissioner Sanders and former Vice Mayor Julian are on the November ballot and they MAY be a target of the investigation.
Julian then says: Casba, I have asked you if you would run your campaign as a gentleman, and it looks like you will not, as expected. Since you have no records of any service in Hallandale , I guess sending out e-mails is your plan to be a commissioner. The voters are much smarter than you would believe, and they will know the truth, about you soon enough.I have a ten year record of service to the people of Hallandale, and that is known to all residents as I have lived here for over 57 years.
I will be calling the IG. and volunteer to answer any questions they might have.
Well, Mr. Julian finally wants the same thing I was asking for since this investigation was made public -clarity and honest answers from people who know them. He now says he wants his name cleared ASAP. His attempts to turn my comments back on me have only served to show who’s really going to “campaign as a gentleman.”
He can’t even tell the truth when there’s nothing to gain from lying.
While it’s a good thing he volunteered to talk to the IG, the truth is that since he’s running for office, he didn’t really have much choice, did he?
In a word, no.
Now, everyone else at City Hall should follow Julian’s example and talk to the IG and completely disregard Markoff’s advice, apparently based on watching so much TV, but ignoring reality and appearances.
I for one am looking forward to Comm. Sanders and his wife finally telling everyone their side of the story, but it’s not unreasonable to ask why such a simple thing has taken almost four years? Especially if you did nothing wrong.
More than anything it shows the complete lack of candor and leveling with taxpayers that Comm. Sanders has been known for ever since the mayor put him on the commission in 2008 with Julian’s help, since he repeatedly refused to meet with residents of NE before the vote on the Diplomat project.
I guess he couldn’t be bothered.
In my 30 years of working for the Cleveland Diocese, my boss, the Bishop, would never allowed me to wear two hats in any sort of business situation.
I had a choice, one or the other, and like all bosses, if I didn’t do that, there be problems for me.
That’s why I’d like to hear how it is that the ministry of Pastor Sanders and the official duties of HB City Comm. Sanders can be reconciled now or in the future, without him making a choice, one or the other?
And like many people in this community, I wonder why he and his wife seem so oblivious to the appearance of all these things over the past four years, and are only now willing to say anything, or why she can’t get a job that doesn’t involve receiving money from the city directly or indirectly. It all seems very curious and more drama than we need with all the problems this city has

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Valerie Sciaretta/July 7, 2012

To all Bill Julian critics. You are seriously mistaken. I have known Bill Julian for over 25 years. Bill is one of the most benevolent people I know. He has given his resources, time and his own money to help the people of Hallandale, especailly the more unfortunate. Bill is a minimalist and not intersted in material wealth. This is the reason he doesnt collect it and instead keeps in his life things that are intrinsically important such as his old car, and staying in his old neighborhood where he rents so he can remain with his community. If he tells you he was bound by law not ot talk about the investigation then it is true. And when bound by law, this action speaks for itself. So please stop bashing this person, this veteran who has given with his heart without limit to Hallandale and apologize to him please!

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Andrew Markoff/July 7, 2012

Csaba, all of these insinuations and allegations are ridiculous. Jessica Sanders has not been “getting money from the city.” She is paid from a stipend from Temple University for the Community of All Ages project. Something you apparently cannot understand is that our government belongs to all of us, and some people like the Sanders believe in working both within the government as well as outside of it for the betterment of our community.

People like you, it seems, instead believe that attempts to improve our community only take away from others who had traditionally enjoyed more of the spoils of taxpayer dollars and the attention of politicians. If you attend the Arts Festival in September, for which I have been serving on the planning committee as part of the Palms Community Action Coalition, you may see that the Foster Road area that runs along the cemetery and the new Foster Park community building have improved greatly thanks to CRA money and community involvement. You may not see that, however, because over recent years you may have remained entirely oblivious of the conditions in Palms Community and the immense improvements that have been implemented more recently.

None of these ridiculous allegations about the purchase of Sanders’ property or of the grants provided to community groups ever include what exactly you think that the purpose has been of all the nefarious activities that you insinuate. Do you believe that people are getting rich off of taxpayer money? Do you believe that there have been illegal activities that will or should involve indictments? If so, what exactly? It seems to me that instead the IG is responding to complaints lodged by someone who has had very intimate knowledge of precisely what has been going on and has been there to issue a vote on all of these matters. Of course, the complaint is timed not according to events that had occurred years ago, but timed instead for the upcoming election.

No plan for the area around what had previously been Sanders’ property? If not, is that illegal? If the CRA board voted in the majority to approve the purchase of a property and the minority in that vote disagreed, does that make it illegal? If the Mayor, the prior manager and most of the rest of the commission had pushed to spend taxpayer money on Sanders’ property, then why? Why do you never answer that? Do you believe that one vote on the Diplomat condominium project was so vital and so urgent that city officials would turn over money in the guise of a purchase of property for one commissioner in order to sway his vote? Is that it? Why don’t you tell us all, finally, what was the intent behind what you allege had occurred?

I believe that there are some people in seemingly every community today in America who are not actually striving to avoid and to sort out scandal. Instead, such people WANT and DESIRE scandal, and will get quite angry if they can’t find it. Frustrated in Hallandale did a search on the Broward court website using my name to find a judgment from some unscrupulous collection agency claiming to hold credit card debt they alleged was mine from many years ago. Frustrated is so determined to find a scandal that he or she will use any means in an attempt to humiliate members of his or her community who support differing candidates! Is that the kind of politics and the kind of community involvement that you want here in Hallandale Beach, Csaba?

BrowardBulldog has pointed out payments by the city to city residents who have worked at the Hepburn Center as part of city payroll, but gee… the only named residents are African-American. Coincidence? The Palms Community Action Coalition had formerly been the Weed & Seed, a federally funded program across the nation to weed out crime and seed economic development in neighborhoods that have suffered from blight and neglect. Just the kind of the thing, Csaba, that I suspect that you just cannot relate to. You had told me that you relate such attentions to “reparations” for the previous abuses and enslavement of blacks, but getting involved in community groups and learning about how to best organize communities for betterment is not scandal, not stealing tax money and not “reparations” for slavery.

The federal government eliminated funding for the Weed & Seed programs, but Jessica Sanders and the board members of the PCAC decided that instead of folding, we would continue what had begun. Weed & Seed groups had been implemented only in select communities, so we have and have had residents from nearby communities in Dade as well as in Broward County participating. Weed & Seed in Hallandale Beach had been re-named Palms Community ACTION Coalition because its board and its members want to ensure that ACTION and not just words is put forward in efforts to improve the community and its relations with both the commission and the Police Department. Police captains attend every meeting and help to plan public events and community outreach. Grant applications are and will be submitted, because that is how community groups get funded- not to get rich but to implement programs, such as the Creative Arts Expressions Program going on this summer for teens as well as adults involved in parenting and life skills classes. I wrote the press release for that program, and working with the Community Foundation of Broward, which funded the program, researching its details and composing a release that complied with the format requested by the Community Foundation after any grants are extended took some hours of my time which I gave for free, as I do for all the meetings that I attend and all the help that I can give. If you don’t like it, then don’t donate to the CFB, but don’t blame the city of Hallandale Beach and its taxpayers.

The PCAC recently had a meeting at the Cultural Center with the heads of Human Resources, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief our new City Manager and the Mayor to discuss with PCAC members and youth in the Hallandale Beach community about how to get more residents and young people prepared and competitive for city jobs that become available. Where were you? You could have attended. You, too could be involved in our community beyond sitting through commission meetings and making allegations on-line and criticizing what you don’t know about as if everyone has been hiding something.

I think that the PCAC is an excellent organization that can serve as a template for other neighborhoods in our city as well as for other communities about how to organize for the betterment of neighborhoods, how to create better environments for kids to excel and how to spur economic vitality. The PCAC conducts the Right Choice program, which works directly with neighborhood youth to help divert individuals from drugs and from crime and to help to stabilize those choices. We had another meeting in the past couple of months with the administrators of our local schools. I was absolutely blown away by how professional, dedicated and creative they are in ensuring that we have schools that achieve top grades and evaluations. They explained all about the parameters implemented by the state legislature that must be utilized even when they seem obstructive in order to ensure that kids do well, learn and graduate. Where were you? You might have learned a lot. The Mayor was there, as well as Jessica Sanders and members of the PCAC, representatives from the Police department and other concerned about our community- right here in Hallandale Beach.

There’s a lot more to organizing communities and implementing programs intended to help than just criticizing and slinging allegations and attempting to embarrass people. There is a hell of a lot more to community than developers looking to profit and residents being continually angry and even hateful towards one another. A lot more questions would be answered as well as worries alleviated if the continually negative and angry and suspicious people would go outside and attend community meetings and be involved in advisory committees. Anyone can attend all of those meetings as members of the public.

Instead, I have seen videos posted on blogs that attempt to create the impression that secretive decisions are made that are bad for the people and that secret deals are being made behind closed doors. The videos I’ve seen are edited and captioned, however, not because there’s some competing interests trying to manipulate opinion, but because there simply are individuals who are unhappy if there isn’t a scandal to be had. I see aggressively mean comments posted on-line and an entirely unreadable local blog engaging in insults and attacks. A website had been created purporting to “change Hallandale,” and yet not one single change has ever been recommended. The facts and the figures are skewed on that site, including comparing our internal services to those contracted out by other cities. We keep most things in-house here, and I’ve always been proud of that, and look what happened when the decision had been made in ’03 to contract out the lifeguards. People make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean that they are then supposed to be attacked and PUNISHED! What’s important is how mistakes are learned from, and I have continually seen progress in that regard in this town. There are questions that should have been better answered and money spent that could have been better spent or not spent at all, but that means only that the majority opinion had won the day, not that there has been illegal activities.

The Broward IG investigating does not translate into coming indictments. The investigation could result only in a report stating that the complaint filed was investigated and that the city had done things that needed improvement before those needed improvements were actually implemented. The complaint filed, however, was made for precisely the reasons that I believe county commissioner Stacey Ritter had put forward law that the public had voted on and that may ultimately result in the complainant being prosecuted for scurrilous complaints filed solely for electoral purposes.

Not everyone has some personal agenda. Some people get involved in community affairs and in government because they actually care. I do not think that you are evil, Csaba, and I have told you that, but I think that you have been led to a lot of assumptions by people who feel that they have nothing to live for without attacking and destroying others. If you and your ‘frustrated’ friends want to usefully explore court records, try to find the legal actions initiated by Keith London before he had gotten into politics. The attacking and the negativity and the character assassinations had not begun when Keith London had ridden on his white horse up upon the commission dais. You are dealing not with taxpayer money and secret deals and nefarious politicians and investigations. You are essentially dealing with a personality and its acolytes. All of these insinuations and allegations come down really to one man’s very menacing personality. Thankfully, that man is not you, Csaba, because I do believe that you mean well and that you could do better.

Oh, and Valerie Sciaretta, you won’t likely get an apology from these sorts, but you do get my thanks. I agree with you. Bill Julian has a heart without limit and a lot of talent as well.

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Andrew Markoff/July 7, 2012

Oh yeah, and I should have mentioned. Also at each committee meeting planning our September Arts Festival at Foster Park is Commissioner Dottie Ross and Bill Julian. Every meeting. Why? Because they enjoy sitting at plastic, fold out tables with a too-loud air conditioner unit in a park building in the evenings after a long, hot day talking about logistics and trucks and set-ups and scheduling and forms and the like when they have other things they might prefer to be doing? No, instead it’s more likely that they want a successful festival in September for our community.

Bill Julian, Commissioner Ross and Mayor Cooper and Commissioner Lewy also attend other PCAC meetings and sub-committee meetings as well as special events, but you know who’s never there? Ever? No, of course not. Keith London is never anywhere that is about kids, community, schools, neighborhoods and the rest of it all having to do with people, because that is not why he got into politics in the first place.

More often than not, people are asking one another at community events if they ever expect Keith London to show up. And then they laugh. His acolytes, however, seem to become immediately suspicious anytime a community group gets a grant or involves community leaders as well as residents and others and gets together to do more than conspire against everyone else. The tactic of making people believe that they belong to a special group that is pitted against other groups is an old political tactic that always works well in America, including, perhaps, in Hallandale Beach. That’s why I call Keith London “The Glenn Beck of Hallandale Beach.” Such tactics work well, it seems, for those who comment in order to attack others on-line such as here.

If you actually want to know what the PCAC is about as well as the Right Choice Program, the Creative Expressions Arts Program, the Restoration of Voting Rights effort as well as other activities involved within the PCAC, you can call the PCAC phone number at (954) 457-2993 or stop into the office in the Hepburn Center and ask for a brochure. There are brochures about every program, including the PCAC as a whole. They include mission statements and general information, as well as contact info. I think that they are excellent brochures, and they had been printed for people like Csaba, who question things that he assumes don’t have answers without, apparently, thinking to just get the available information.

And if you want to know why Temple University, the Community Foundation of Broward and other community-oriented organizations had extended grants to the PCAC in order to have program administrators, office space, paperwork, programs and the like, then ask them. It’s not all about self-dealing and trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. Sometimes it’s just about trying to help communities. And when or if mistakes are made in such efforts, that doesn’t mean that anybody’s indicted or going to jail or even had bad intentions. It can mean that people learn and do better.

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John in Hallandale/July 7, 2012

@ Leon – What’s with the personal attacks? I just posted what I know and Bill ALWAYS uses the same line “I didn’t know”. Yes you he has said this to me personally that “He didn’t know”. I have nothing personal against Bill but think his charitable work is more suited for him, politics is not his forte.

@ Valerie Sciaretta do you even live in Hallandale Beach?

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Bill Julian/July 7, 2012

To all,
We can go on and on with these e-mails. For anyone, or all of you that would like to talk to me personally.
I will take the time and meet with you anywhere at your convenience and we can have an unbridled discussion about any issues you may have about myself, and what you would expect from me in the future.
During this time you will be informed about all of my projects, programs, and ordinances that I have passed in the city, leaving the charitable part aside.
I would like all of you to get together on a time and place for us to meet, and run me through the gauntlet.
If I don’t hear from you, then I know your not very sincere in your comments, about me, and your community.
I believe in facing problems head on, as I’m the only one from the city that would meet with the Inspector General’s office.
Bill Julian
(954) 274-7230.

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Charlotte Greenbarg/July 12, 2012

I’m sure the CRA will try its best to stall any IG investigation until after the election. This should tell the citizens of HB a lot about who’s governing the city.

Csaba Kulin is one of the most intelligent, ethical and honest people I’ve ever met, and he deserves to be elected to the Commission.

Yes, the establishment’s minions are out in force on this one. It’s panic time.

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Bill Julian/July 13, 2012

Charlotte,
Again I have offered my time to answer any questions so there is no shadow of doubt about my ethics.
No one has responded.
I should get some credit for being the only one to volunteer my time with the IG’s office. They didn’t call me, I went to them as I believe if you have nothing to hide you can answer to the IG. I have done nothing wrong and committed no crimes. My offer is still open, to an open forum at anyone’s choice.I am running for office and the people should know the truth about all of us.
That’s the best I can do.
Bill Julian (954) 274-7230

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